Camp for All Kids

10/02/2026

𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝟑𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐬!

🪩 This past Saturday, Camp for All Kids joined with some of our closest supporters to officially begin our 30th Anniversary celebrations! We are so grateful to commemorate three decades of making transformational overnight camp experiences possible for young people.

One of the most meaningful parts of the evening was hearing from CFAK program participants Lakisha Berry and Ron Stewart, Jr., who shared their personal experiences and reminded us exactly why camp matters. Their stories are a powerful testament to the confidence, connection, independence, and sense of belonging that camp can create.

And this is just the beginning! 🚀

As we look ahead to the next 30 years, we’re excited to bring the life-changing experience of camp to even more young people.

Thank you for helping us kick off this milestone year – and for believing in the power of camp. ❤️ 🏕️

📸 A few favorite moments from the evening below! Photos by Ven Sherrod.

Learn more about our 30th Anniversary Campaign and how you can help make camp possible for more kids: campforallkids.org/30

09/10/2026

𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬.

When his mentor invited him to Four Star Fellowship at North Star Camp, he wasn't sure it was for him. But he stayed.

Over the course of the week, he found people who cared about him, new experiences, and a counselor named Ron who helped him catch his first fish.

On the final night, Andrew heard Ron's story – how he had faced difficult challenges, experienced tough losses, and how returning to North Star as a counselor helped him find peace.

For Andrew, Ron became a glimpse of what might be possible.

“This camp gave me a different perspective,” Andrew said. “It gave me more courage, more confidence.”

And now Andrew wants to use that confidence to help others:

“I just want to better myself, and I just want to better my community.”

That's the power of Four Star Fellowship: giving young people the support, role models, and confidence to imagine what's possible.

Read Andrew's story: https://conta.cc/4yAGDBv

09/01/2026

Camp For All Kids is looking for our next Executive Director—a passionate, thoughtful leader who wants to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children through the magic of summer camp. If you or someone you know could be a great fit, we’d love to connect. Please share!

Learn more about the role here:

Camp for All Kids is now hiring for the position of Executive Director in Chicago. Apply today.

08/21/2026

300 Chicago teens and mentors just experienced a week at camp through our Four Star Fellowship Program. These young people said YES to leaving the city for the Great North Woods to experience nature, cabin-living, new activities, skit nights, canoe and hiking trips and co-creating a vibrant community with peers and caring adults. Words can't express the depth of our gratitude to the camp, community, and funding partners who worked so hard to manifest this amazing experience!

A very special thank you to the Perlmutter family for donating and hand-printing 1000 t-shirts and hoodies

Camp WeHaKee
Camp Timberlane For Boys
North Star Camp
Youth Guidance Chicago
Legal Prep Charter Academies
Champs MALE Mentoring Program
BUILD Chicago
EYE Lead Foundation Inc
Camp Out for Kids

08/19/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩.

Three summers ago, Jaylin came to Camp Timberlane For Boys through Camp for All Kids’ Four Star Fellowship simply looking for something new.

Now, as a rising senior and third-year Four Star Fellow, he’s noticed something has changed.

“I usually don’t talk a lot,” Jaylin says. “But coming from here, and then going back to Chicago, I see myself speaking to people I don’t know way more than I usually would.”

At camp, Jaylin has found an environment where the pressure is lower, people are open, and “everybody’s on the same page.”

That environment has helped him step outside his comfort zone, try things he never thought he would, and become more confident.

And now, he’s beginning to see himself as a leader – someone who can be an example for younger Fellows and help them feel comfortable trying something new.

For Jaylin, camp isn't just about what happens during one week of summer; it’s about what he brings home.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗮 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟱𝟭 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿.

Read Jaylin’s story: https://conta.cc/4bXoxAL

08/11/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨.

When her WOW mentor encouraged her to attend Camp for All Kids' Four Star Fellowship at Camp WeHaKee for Girls, spending a week away from home with nearly 100 teenagers she had never met felt intimidating.

But Melissa decided to take the chance.

Just a few days later, she had made new friends, tried new things, and discovered something she hadn't expected:

A community where she felt safe, welcomed, and free to be herself.

“Everyone here wants you to be here,” Melissa said. “The community here is so special. You get to try new things, meet new people, and have experiences you can carry with you.”

And then she said something that captures the magic of Four Star:

"𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.”

In just one week, Melissa found more than new experiences. She found a community – and the confidence to say yes to what comes next.

That’s the power of the Four Star Fellowship.

Through partnerships with organizations like Youth Guidance Chicago's Working on Womanhood (WOW) program and Camp WeHaKee for Girls, Camp for All Kids gives young people the opportunity to build friendships, try new things, and discover a place where they belong.

Read Melissa’s full story: https://conta.cc/4ccBl6e

08/04/2026

𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲.

When Syeda first arrived at Camp Marimeta five summers ago, the outdoors felt unfamiliar and intimidating.

But each summer, she grew a little more confident and began trying things she never thought possible.

With encouragement from her counselors and the support of the Camp Marimeta community, Syeda built the confidence to have new experiences and embrace challenges that once seemed out of reach

This summer, she reached another milestone she could have only dreamed about when she first arrived at camp: traveling to Hawaii on Marimeta's service-learning trip, developing leadership skills as a Counselor-in-Training, and snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean.

Next summer, Syeda intends to return – this time as a member of the Marimeta staff, becoming one of the first Camp for All Kids scholarship recipients to come full circle as a camp employee.

That's the power of renewable camperships.

Every summer builds on the one before it, helping children discover new passions, develop confidence, and realize they're capable of more than they ever imagined.

Read her full story:
🔗 https://conta.cc/4z0RHZI

07/30/2026

Sometimes the best connection starts by unplugging.

When Bizzy arrived at North Star Camp in 2023, he thought he was coming for a fun summer.

Instead, he discovered something much bigger.

Away from phones and surrounded by the Northwoods, Bizzy found a love of fishing, outdoor adventure, and the simple joy of spending his days in nature. By the end of the summer, he returned home feeling healthier, more active, and eager to spend even more time outside.

And the experience didn't end when camp did. Bizzy has returned every summer since, and the friendships he built continue throughout the year.

That's the power of camp.

It's a place where children can unplug from technology, connect with the outdoors, and discover a world far bigger than they imagined.

Read Bizzy's full story:
🔗 https://conta.cc/4fqlcMz

07/22/2026

🌟 Lailah found her second home at camp! Your support makes magic happen!
https://conta.cc/4pBDRsr

Email from Camp for All Kids For Lailah and her mom, camp has already become a second home. Meet Lailah! Dear Friends, Like many of you, I’m a camper parent. I want my kids to have a chance to explore

06/27/2026

We’re having a blast at the Waukegan WOW Four Star Fellowship Launch party. We’re grateful to Youth Guidance Chicago and the Morrison Family Foundation for partnering on our expansion to Waukegan!